THE Celtic boss had hoped to convince his playmaker to reconsider his international future but Commons says there is no going back as far as the national team is concerned.

NEIL LENNON may be thinking of doing Scotland a turn by asking Kris Commons to reverse his international retirement decision but the Celtic manager will be wasting his breath.

The player is not for changing his mind.

Commons spoke last week of his belief that his club career and family life have benefited enormously from his decision to step away from the Scotland scene and nothing has changed in the interim.

Not even the hat-trick he scored on Friday at Kilmarnock which hoisted his season’s tally to 26 and prompted his manager to say that it was time he was back on the international stage.

He appreciated the sentiment but it’s not going to happen. And any time he’s tempted, he thinks back to a year ago when he was in Serbia as his young son was rushed to hospital.

Thankfully, the youngster was okay but the incident had a profound effect on his dad.

Asked if there was any chance Lennon could change his mind, Commons said: “No. I felt when I went away with Scotland I was coming back with niggles and problems which had an effect on my playing ability for Celtic.

“I don’t think there is any more desire to keep doing something like that compared to something I did want to do – which was spending time with my family.

“That hit me when my boy was taken into hospital. I was a million miles away. I’d had to fly to another country with Scotland and was not involved, not playing. I just felt this was not for me. Family is the most important thing for me.”

The 30-year-old was keen to put that one to bed but is also in a hurry to wrap up the title with Celtic to set the seal on a season that could end with him winning Player of the Year accolades in the wake of scoring exploits that have even taken himself by surprise.

He said: “I have been put into a more forward-thinking position since Gary Hooper left. I thought I would play left or right midfield or drift in behind the striker and get some shots away. I felt double figures would be more realistic.

“However, with Gary leaving it has left a bit more space for me. We play with one striker up front and the onus is on myself and other midfielders to try and get into the box to score more goals.

“That probably encapsulates the second goal at Kilmarnock where somehow I got into the six-yard box for a tap-in.

“It’s weird. I’m getting into good areas and it’s not like I feel I am going to score every time or miss every time. It’s something that is not really natural for me to be scoring from two or three yards – it’s not really in my DNA. I tend to pick up the ball 20-25 yards out and look to get shots away.”

The victory at Rugby Park on Friday means if Celtic win their next two matches, against St Mirren and Partick Thistle, they can wrap up the title at home to Ross County on March 29.

Commons added: “It’s easy to be motivated. There is nothing more enjoyable than playing good football and scoring goals.

“When you play your best football, that’s when you get the most enjoyment and when you are scoring three or four goals the crowd are responding to that.

“We will be looking to play similar to the second half at Rugby Park for the next nine games.”

And only when business is taken care of will Commons sit down with Celtic to plot the next chapter of his career. The club will take up a one-year option it has on him, but he would clearly love the security of a longer-term deal and insists he is not hankering for a return to England.

He said: “It’s out of my hands. Once the season is over we can sit down and figure something out. It would be nice to stay longer as I love playing for the club.

“We are looking at schools in Glasgow. My kids are already in nurseries and pre-school.

“My oldest is four and she will be looking to get into a proper primary school soon. My kids are close together in terms of age so it is always at the back of my mind. But there’s no pressure to go back to England.”